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News and Miscellany

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 11, 1871

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 37, No. 17.

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News and Miscellany.

“Can ye not discern the signs of the times?”
SAN DOMINGO.—The commissioners appointed to visit that island and report in reference to the question of its annexation to the United States, report in favor of annexation. The President recommends that no action be taken at the present session of Congress, but only that the facts in the case be laid before the public, and the matter be carefully considered by the people in reference to future action.
PARIS, April 2.—A special to the Evening Telegraph says: “There was a serious engagement this morning between the government troops and the communists. About 2,000 National Guards marched on Courbevoie and were met by gens d’armes and Gardes Forestieres. The captain of the latter galloped up, waving his cap, intending to address the Communists, when a zouave with that body shot him dead. A general action followed, in which the gens d’armes took nine prisoners (one 76 years old), who were shot at once. The guns of Fort Valerien swept the road, and the Communists fled. Twenty-five insurgents were killed and many wounded. The engagement was over at 1 o’clock.
“The National Guards still hold Porte Maillot; battalions of artillery are hurrying up; the rappel is beating and the ramparts are being manned. The greatest excitement prevails.”
The same correspondent telegraphs from Versailles, April 2, evening: “The crisis is at hand, two batteries are in motion on the Paris road, and ambulances are all ready. Bismarck has given permission for any number of troops to be massed near Paris, and says that if order is not restored in Paris by the 15th inst., the Germans will enter the city.
VERSAILLES, April 4.—Thiers has issued a proclamation addressed to the Prefects of the departments, as follows:
“On Monday, the insurgent masses attacked our forces simultaneously at Nanterre, Rueil, Bougival, Bazons, Chaton, and Croissy. Fort Mont Valerien at daybreak began to cannonade the insurgents, who were at first sheltered by the villages of Nanterre, Rueil, and Bougival. They subsequently attacked the government forces, by whom they were repulsed. Gen. Vinoy, with cavalry, was by this time in possession, threatening the outflank of the insurgents, and they fled in complete rout, leaving many dead and wounded in the hands of the government troops.”
VERSAILLES, April 3.—All day a great battle has raged between the government forces under Gen. Vinoy, and 100,000 Communists under Gen. Bergeret. Everywhere the latter were defeated with terrible slaughter. Near Mendon, Bergeret, and Flourens, with 35,000 men, were cut off and surrounded, and must either surrender to-night, or be cut to pieces in the morning. Many Communists refused to fight, and are throwing down their arms, begging for mercy.
PARIS, Evening, April 4, via LONDON, 6 A. M., April 5.—It is rumored that the nationals have sustained a decisive defeat. Forty thousand are massed before Issy and Clamart. The ramparts are strongly guarded. Fort Mont Valerien is silent. The artillery duel between Issy and Versailles continues. The nationals occupy the bridge of Neuilly. Government troops are invisible.
The Paris deputies to the Assembly had an interview to-day with some members of the Commune.
LONDON, April 5.—A Times’ special from Versailles states that 1,500 insurgents have been taken prisoners. Paris is in consternation.
The people of Versailles are greatly irritated against the insurgents.
The Telegraph’s correspondent says the First Prussian Army Corps has been ordered to hold itself ready to march to Paris.
A reign of terror continues within the city of Paris.
A Daily News’ special says the nationals attacked the government troops on Tuesday, near Mendon, and suffered a complete rout.
Garibaldi declines the command of the insurgents.
It is rumored that 20,000 nationals have entered Versailles. The report is considered doubtful.
The effective strength of the Communists is 120,000 men and 200 guns.
Gen. Endes is reported wounded.
VERSAILLES, April 5.—Picard has issued the following circular to the prefects: “The insurgents have met a decisive check. Our troops have captured the redoubt at Chatillon with 2,000 prisoners. Flourens and Duval are dead, and Henry is a prisoner. Twenty-two of the Communists have resigned, and Assy has been imprisoned by his own followers. The government is happy to inform you of this condition of affairs, which it has expected.”
The nationals were badly organized, and having but a limited supply, were soon out of ammunition. Many tried to return to Paris, but found the gates shut and men posted on the ramparts, who threatened to shoot them if they attempted to re-enter the city. The contest at Le Bas Mendon was exceedingly bloody. The firing of the batteries, manned by artillerymen from the Versailles army, is pronounced fully equal in spirit and effect to the German bombardment of Paris.
A dispatch from Versailles says: The government is disposed to show the greatest kindness and humanity to the insurgents.
The Red Republican proclamation, dated at the Tuileries, strongly condemns the conduct of the Versailles government in attacking Paris.
A dispatch from Paris says fighting continued until after 6 o’clock on the evening of the 4th. It is said that the nationals have fortified Moulin and St. Pierre. Gen. Lullier, it is reported, has escaped from the custody of the Central Committee.
The Paris boulevards are crowded with people, and present an animated appearance. The cafes are open and omnibuses running, though the shops are all closed. The excitement is intense, but the city remains quiet. All foreigners have hoisted the flags of their respective countries.
A dispatch from Marseilles, 5th inst., says the insurgents in that city are mainly Garibaldians, and have nearly all been arrested.
The Archbishop of Paris has been arrested by the Commune on a charge of conspiracy against the safety of the State.
At last advices from Paris, cannonading continued.
VERSAILLES, April 5.—Notwithstanding their defeats, the Communists have rallied all their forces in Paris, and a desperate conflict will take place before the government troops enter the capital. The Commune has ordered all citizens between 17 and 35 years of age to enter the ranks. This decree is enforced with great rigor.
M. Assy, Blanqui and Gambau, having incurred the suspicion of their colleagues, have been arrested, and are in danger of execution.
Prince de Joinville has fled to London.
PARIS, April 5, 11:30 A. M.—The Versailles troops still hold the heights of Chatillon, whence they are bombarding Issy, Vanvres, and Mendon. The Commune continues to send reinforcements to the nationals outside the walls. Tuesday was a more disastrous day for the Communists than Monday. The Commune this morning issued another proclamation. A speedy triumph is promised over the royalists, who have disgraced France by their savage mode of warfare. They are charged with shooting prisoners and murdering on the field of battle. Battalions of the National Guard will be reorganized and their pay increased. The proclamation concludes by ordering all unmarried men into the ranks. A grand review is announced for the 7th inst., in the Champ DeMars.
NEW YORK, April 7.—A special telegram from Paris says: “The funeral of the killed yesterday was an extraordinary scene. There were three huge hearses with black velvet palls, each decorated with sixteen red flags, containing the dead. Following them were 8,000 National Guards, and double that number of citizens. Women, marching in hundreds, passed along the boulevards at a solemn pace, and many members of the Commune joined in the procession. Each hearse contained thirty-three coffins, and twenty-three other hearses were already in the cemetery, filled with dead from the various hospitals. It was an awful scene. One huge grave served for all, and the bodies were lowered, one at a time, amid the shrieks of women and the shouts of men for vengeance on the assassins of Versailles. The Pere La Chaise was one mass of people swaying with passion, and screaming, “Vive la Republique,” “Vive la Commune.”
The losses of the Communists create great grief in the city, mixed with bitter animosity.
(Continued on p. 136.)